Monday, May 2, 2011

A few weeks ago I completed a fun project for my kitchen. I shared it with Traci at Beneath My Heart, but in case you missed it, I want to show it off here. It's a completely no-sew faux Roman shade.

Here's exactly how I made it.

First I chose a fabric. I considered something light-colored, but this is a west-facing window, so I wanted a dark background color to provide good heat-blocking on summer afternoons. I was tickled when I found this fabric:

This fabric looks cheerful and summery to me. As an added bonus, it's an outdoor fabric, so it won't fade. (Note: Several folks have asked about my fabric. It's from from Not Just Linens in North Carolina, and it's called "Dorothy Ebony.")

After selecting fabric, I followed these steps to make the shade. You can do it too!

Decide on the measurements you need. For this method, you'll need to end up with a shade that's the width of the inside of your window. The length of the shade would ideally be the length of your window, but it doesn't necessarily have to be that long. Simply cut your fabric to the correct width plus an inch on either side and the twice the length you want to end up with. (This is a no-sew method, so you'll need double the fabric length. If you want to sew a lining fabric to your shade fabric, you'll just need a single length of fabric and a length of lining.)

Lay your fabric out on a large work surface. You've cut your fabric an extra inch wide on each side; now turn the fabric under 1 inch on each side and secure the flaps with fabric glue or with Stitch Witchery. (For my shade, I needed the full width of the fabric plus a little extra, so I simply used glue to secure ribbon to the selvages of my fabric.

Once you have your fabric to the desired width with the sides finished however you like, double the fabric over, right sides together. Glue (or Stitch Witch, or sew if you like) the two cut ends together to create a seam. (Note: just connect the two ends together. You're creating a huge loop of fabric, not a flat rectangle of fabric.)

Turn the fabric right side out. Now you have a large rectangle of doubled fabric.

And now for the secret tool that makes this shade possible: the tension rod. These rods are adjustable to any length. Measure the inside of your window frame to find the length you need, and adjust the rod using the manufacturer's directions. (**Notes: The insides of my window frames are not very deep, so I used an oval rod. Be sure to get tension rods that are plenty wide enough for your window. Tension rods are extremely adjustable, but as you stretch tension rods out to their fullest lengths, they get weak in the middle. Also, before you try to make this shade, be sure that your window casing is smooth enough to hold a tension rod. Mine are smooth wood, so the tension rods stay in place with no problem.)

Insert the rod into one end of your fabric rectangle, like so:

Hang your fabric rectangle in the top of your window frame. (Remember that your rod needs to be just a little longer than the window, so that you have to apply some pressure to squeeze them into the window casing. It's that tension that will keep them hanging in place.)

See? My shade isn't exactly the right length, but I'm only going to use it as a stationary treatment at the top of my window, so it doesn't matter that it's not quite long enough.

Take a second tension rod and hang it a few inches lower than your top rod (mine is about 7 inches lower than the top rod), like so:

Now bring your fabric up to double over the second rod.

Now, if you like, repeat that process with a third tension rod. Here's how the shade will look under the folds. (Just ignore those cup hooks; they're still in place there from making a shade using Thrifty Decor Chick's method.)

You'll have to fiddle with it to get the folds just the length you like, but it doesn't take long. And if you use three tension rods, here's what you'll have:

A fun, faux Roman shade that's so quick and easy to create that you may want to make one for each different season!

What do you think? I'm loving it! I made a some fun no-sew accessories to go with the shade: click here to read about those. Or click here to see more photos of my kitchen.

Updated to add: I finally found some trim to add to the sides of the shade so that it would be wide enough to cover the tension rods. Here's a peek:

It's a small difference, but I'm glad for the rods not to be showing anymore. Unless you have a very wide window like mine, this won't be a problem for you (and to be honest, the shades will lie flatter if you don't have to add trim to the sides). Update: later I found a source of wider fabric that allows me to cover my wide window without having to add trim: a tablecloth!)

Check this out: Deidre from For Such a Time as This created a shade using my tension-rod method for her master bathroom. Deidre shows how you can space the rods further apart for the look of a Roman shade that's mostly lowered, thus covering most of the window. Isn't it lovely? Thank you, Deidre, for sharing your no-sew creation!

And look at these multiple windows treated by Jenny from Evolution of Style. Beautiful! As you can see, Jenny used only two tension rods in her shades.

Isn't the blogging community the greatest place for sharing ideas?

**Update: These Roman shades hold up wonderfully! I'm still loving them two years later, and I've made another one for when I want a lighter look, and as you can see this one is wide enough without having to have trim on the sides. You can read all about it here! Here's a peek:

Later still, I made a simple farmhouse-style shade using a dropcloth. I simply used craft paint and painter's tape to create grainsack-style stripes (you can read all about that process here).

Another bonus of this window treatment is that it can be taken down and put back up very easily. At Christmastime, the window looks like this:

Click here to read all about that window treatment, including the DIY Noel sign. I like being able to change the look of the window at Christmastime, and it's so easy to put the Roman shade back up after the holidays.

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comments:

Aren't you smart to figure out how to make this no-sew? I love this idea and would love to try it in my own home. It's so easy that you could have a different treatment for each season without much cost. Great project!

I have had a bare kitchen window for 6 years because I couldn't find something I loved enough to hang there...but now I have!!! I am thrilled I can do it myself,even though I can't sew! When people see things I have made,they will say "Pam, I didn't know you could sew", and I always reply, "I can't...but I can do a mean hot glue job"! I Love your blog, and I have been keeping your family and husband in my prayers.God is good!

Oh my gracious!!!! Richella, that is brilliant! I love it! I used Sarah's tutorial to do my old one too, but it didn't flatten out right when it was hanging like yours did. I need to be on the lookout for cute fabric to do mine like your new one. I love, love, love it!!! Thanks for sharing!!!

Richella those look gorgeous!! Sorry I haven't stopped by lately but I read through your posts and got caught up. I have had you and Jack on my prayer list and have been lifting you up daily.Lots going on here! Love you bunches!!Cyndi

I think you could make a faux Roman shade that goes outside the window frame by using Thrifty Decor Chick's method (find her post at http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2010/01/rewind-diy-no-sew-roman-shades.html). You could hang your fabric panel from a regular outside-mount curtain rod or simply tack the top of your fabric to your window frame. TDC's method requires hand-sewing ribbon loops onto your fabric panel and hanging the loops from cup hooks. It's really simple. Good luck!

This is exactly what I need on my kitchen window as well! I even have the fabric already!!!! Now, off to plan the project. Thanks for sharing, yours looks fantastic and custom. I am especially loving your ribbon on the edges, that adds a great finish!

I absolutely love this! Although I sew, I've often found the directions for roman shades very confusing in the simplicity/mccalls patterns...this looks so beautiful and so easy!! I can't wait to do this!

Very smart and creative! I love this idea. I am pretty much all thumbs when it comes to sewing...but I think I may be able to pull this one off. Give me a paint brush and I am brilliant - but I should be nowhere near a sewing machine. Thanks for posting!

These were so easy to make!!!! I took three blah and boring windows in my kitchen office and turned them into something warm and inviting with $100 of stuff and a few hours of my time. Thanks so much for sharing this awesome idea! I found it on pinterest and am so glad that I did!!!

Thank you!!!! I have a weird layout for the kitchen where windows crash into cabinets and I had no idea what to do. I never tried roman shades before because I thought they would be hard to install. However this is the answer to my prayers. Thanks!

You just saved me $100. I was set to just bite the bullet and pay someone to make a roman shade for my kitchen after almost 2 years of a bare window. I had already called to find out the price and was going the next day to give them measurements. Thank you! Now 2 days later, I have what I wanted for about $45, fabric and all (v. $150 or so).

So excited to find this tutorial. I have a question for you. My kitchen windows are both about 75"w. Do you think that they are way to large for this design? I did find extension rods that size (heavy duty ones.) I love the look of the Roman Shades but debating on if this "No sew" method would work or look right for my windows. Anyone have experience with larger windows?

So excited to see your tutorial... I am debating about making these beautiful shades for kitchen windows. My hesitations are my 70" windows. I have found larger heavy duty extension rods but wandering if this "no Sew" design will work and look right on such large windows. Does anyone have any experience making them for larger windows. Thanks!

Jennifer and Jason, you both asked about larger windows. My kitchen window is 57" wide and this method works well. My advice to you would be find the very longest, most heavy-duty tension rods available, to carefully open one the package of one of the large tension rods and simply drape fabric over it and see if looks good hanging in the window. You should be able to tell if it will work. My concern is that it might sag in the middle, so that's what you would want to check for. If it does sag, you'll probably want to re-package the tension rod and return it. If your expanse of window includes several individual frames, then I'd suggest doing a series of small shades like the ones in the last photo above. Good luck!

What a great project! I was in the midst of doing a blog post on window shades and came across this tutorial....Now I think I'll postpone the post, so I can not only share your tutorial with my readers, but show them how your post moved me to try it too. Thanks for the inspiration! I'll let you know how it goes.RicciYourdesignpartner.com/blog

I am making these right now!! I have three windows across the back of my kitchen and I just finished the first of my shades!! Thanks so much for a great tutorial. The first one looks great...can't wait to finish the other two up as well! :)

Just completed mine and so happy. Ended up sewing not gluing as the indoor outdoor fabric didn't like the glue. Thanks so much for your easy to understand directions. Two windows completed and hung in an hour!

LOVE LOVE LOVE this! I have seen the tutorials going around where you use the cheap blinds and glue. I never attempted them because it didn't seem like something that was truly simple. This however is amazing! I will be making this for our new house for sure over the kitchen sink! :) Mine isn't this wide but I still love the idea of embellishing it with ribbon on the edges. I will be sharing your tutorial on my blog too, if you don't mind. :)

I am making one of your Faux Roman Shades for my kitchen this weekend, I'm very excited about it. I like the idea of being able to change the fabric quickly for different occasions, or remove it all together as you did for your Christmas garland (Love that idea too). Will be looking through the blog for some simple valance ideas to go over some bamboo shades to add color...

I was looking for a tutorial on faux roman blinds and found yours. I have completed mine (although I did do some sewing) and it looks great! The tension rod idea was spectacular! I gave you full credit on my blog at http://southernabbey.com/adding-colour-to-the-kitchen-part-1/# Thanks for the instruction!

So grateful for this idea! I have an open window between the kitchen and the sun room and the roman shade added interest, softened the look of the window and made both areas cozy. It was a little harder to do as I used two different fabrics for the same shade(one for the kitchen side of the window and another for the sun room side)but it turned out great and it's inexpensive! Two birds...

the post tells us the accurate instructions to create our own roman shed you have also given importance to the color selection according to the direction. the instructions are so easy that they can be easily followed and one can have it done without a lot of menace.. curtain tracksHome theatre accessories

Sally, you need a double length of your fabric for this method because the tension rod that holds the whole thing in place slides into the doubled-over fabric. And then when you drape the fabric over the second and third tension rods, you get a nice full look. However, you could sew a pocket for a rod at the top of the fabric and just use one thickness of fabric to drape over the second and third rods.

Oh my gosh I love this. I am going to Joanne's Fabrics right now and get some fabric for the kitchen and dining room!!! What a great idea. you are right it would be great to switch out fabrics for the season!!

Hi anonymous friend--note that I only glue the edges of the fabric down (to create a neat hem all around) and then glue the two ends of the fabric together. Basically, I create a giant loop of fabric, not a rectangle glued on all sides. If you glued the fabric together all around, it would probably lie flat. That might be a neat look, but that wasn't what I was going for and might not be what you want, either.

Hey! I'm going to buy fabric today for this! Just making sure I understand correctly. If I choose to sew a lining on, I don't need to buy double the fabric length...right? Would you recommend trim at the bottom in this case?

Elizabeth, I'm not sure about that. I suppose if you're going to add a lining you might not need double the fabric length. But honestly, this method works best if you do go ahead and buy double the fabric length. The shade looks realistic because of the way it hangs from the tension rods, and that look is dependent upon the way the fabric drapes over the rods. I don't know how well you could achieve that look without doubling the fabric. Maybe a single length with the extra weight of the lining would provide enough fullness; I'm not sure! Honestly, you might want to try it with some scrap fabric and lining first just to be sure it works.

As for trim, I think trim at the bottom would look great. That would be the advantage of not having a double length of fabric (i.e. just a rectangle of fabric instead of a rectangular loop). With the big loop, you don't know what spot on the shade will end up being the bottom; with a single length, you know exactly where it will be!

But, but, but, this aren't working Roman Blinds? They can't be easily moved up and down to completely block the window at night but be open during the day? These are more like a valance treatment? Albeit a pretty deep valance? I love the look, the colours. Makes me wish I hadn't had a piece of oak to bridge the two cupboards on either side of my over the window sink.

Yinng Sunga: No, this is not a working Roman shade. It is a deep valance. It provides some protection from the sunlight which streams very HOT into this west-facing window, but it does not provide privacy. You are right in saying this is more like a deep valance. Hope that helps!

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Child of God, apprentice to Jesus, wife of a great guy, and mom of three wonderful sons, I'm a blessed and profoundly grateful woman. I'm also a writer and speaker, and I serve on the Ministry Team and Board of Directors of Renovaré, a ministry dedicated to Christian spiritual formation.

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